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No. snos. Patented on. 4,1898.

.1. DONOVAN.

RAILWAY VELOGIPEDE.

(Application filed Nov. 22, 1891.) (No Model.) 2 Sheeta.-Sheet l.

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No. 611,808. Patented oct. 4, 1898. .1. DoNnvAn;

RAILWAY VELOCIPEDE.

(Application led Nov. 221897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT EErCE.

JAMES DONOVAN, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROBERTS, THROPKr COMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

RAILWAY-VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 611,808, datedOctober` 4, 1898. Application filed November 22, 1897. Serial No. 9,492.(No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, J AMES DONOVAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailwayVelocipedes, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings. Y

The invention consists in the construction of a railway-velocipede, andparticularly in the following means: iirst, in the construction of aframe comprising a rigid seat-frame with laterally-extending trusses atopposite ends and which support the axles upon which the wheels arecarried; second, in the construction of the drive-axle and its drivemechanism.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the frame without itsdrive mechanism and with the diagonal braces omitted. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the entire machine. Fig. 3 is an enlarged frontelevation of a portion of the forward end of the frame. Fig. 4 is adetail section illustrating the construction of the roller-bearing. Fig.5 is a vertical central longitudinal section. Fig. 6 is a detachedperspective of the lamp shelf and bracket.

In the prior state of the art it has been.

usual to make velocipede-cars with three Wheels, comprising a framesupported upon two wheels and adapted to run over one rail and anOutrigger extending from the frame to the other track, upon which thethird wheel runs. The objection to lthis form of device is that thecenter of gravity is so near the one side that going around curvesaccidents frequently occur. My device overcomes this objection by havingthe seat-support in the middle and employing four wheels. Prior to myconstruction there have been a number of patents showing four-wheeledvelocipedecars; but so far as I am aware they have not embodied theconstruction of frame and the other points of construction which areherein described and which overcome the objections heretofore existingto such four-wheeled velocipede-cars for railroad use andwhich makes alight, strong, and durable device.

The frame of the velocipede is shown in c, this being simply for thepurpose of making room for the pinion of the drive-axle, as willhereinafter appear.

At the rear end of the frame is a transverse truss comprising thecompression member CZ and the tension member e, with a suitable strut inthe middle. This likewise has brackets B, which have the same relationto the frame as the boxes B have to the forward struts.

C are stub-axles projecting from the ends of the rear truss. Thesestub-axles are preferably formed by a continuation of the compressionmember d. They may be made in separate pieces, if desired.

The parts B B are tied together by the tierods D.

E are inclined braces extending from the outer ends of the transversetrusses to the upper parts of the seat-frame.

The parts thus far described form the frame, which, it will be seen,maybe light and strong and which gives ample room beside the seat-framefor the operator to stand in lifting and handling the velocipede on oroff the track. It will also be seen that this frame is entirelyindependent of the drive-axle as a structural member or part thereof.

The drive-axle F is journaled' in bearings G in the two vertical membersof the seatframe and near its ends is journaled in the bearing B. Thisbearing is preferably a roller-bearing of the construction shown in Fig.4., and the axle has a sliding movement therein, or what is commonlycalled an end shuck. This end sliding movement'may be limited by anysuitable stops. limit the end movement by thewheels contacting the endsof the trusses.` The object of this limited end play of the axle is toallow the front and rear Wheels to assume a proper I preferably l IOOrelation to each other in getting around curves, over switches, dsc.,without undue binding of the wheel-flanges on the rail.

The rear wheels I are j ournaled on the stubaxles already referred to,and the bearings may be ball or roller bearing, as desired, for bothsets of wheels.

The actuating mechanism consists of the rocking levers J, extendingsubstantially vertical in the seat-frame and in proper relation to theseat, so that the operator may rock the same back and forth. The lowerend of this lever is connected by the connecting-rod K with a crank Land a crank-shaft journaled in the seat-frame. On this crank-shaft is agear-wheel M, which meshes with the pinion O on the drive-axle betweenthe vertical members of the seatframe, or, if desired, it may beadjacent thereto. The object of this is to prevent any bending of theaxle because of the thrust of the drive mechanism. The foot of the leverJ is connected to the links P, which are supported in bearings in theseat-frame and the lower ends of these links are connected by thecross-bar P, which formsa rest for the foot of the operator, so that hemay assist by pushing by his feet as well as by pulling and pushing withhis hands in propelling the car. p

R are links in rear of the oscillating lever J, connected by a foot-barS, which may be used for the feet of an operator sitting on the front ofthe frame in case it is desired to use it as a two-man car. This iseasily done, as the oscillating-lever is in the middle of theseat-frame, so that a man sitting at either end thereof can grasp it andapply power thereto.

For convenience in carrying lamps I employ a shelf or platform U,detachably secured to the front of the seat-frame. The means which Ihave shown for detachably securing it in position are the hooks U andthe brace-rods V, supported by the brackets V' on the front of theframe, as plainlyshown in Fig. 2. This platform overhan gs' theseatframe, and is provided around its edges with suitable hooks XV, onwhich lanterns may be hung and may swing more or less without strikingthe frame. They may also be stood upon the top of the platform U, ifdesired, or other articles may be carried thereon.

That I claim as my invention isl. In a railroad-velocipede, a framecomprising a longitudinally arranged vertical seat-frame, a transversetruss at each end of said seat-frame comprising a strut projectingdownwardly from the seat-frame, a bracket at each end, a tension membersecured to said brackets and bearing on said strut, and compressionmembers secured to said bracket and to the seat-frame, braces connectedto the outer ends of said trusses and to the upper portion of saidseat-frame, and tie-rods connecting the outer ends of said trusses.

2. In a railway-velocipede, the combination of a frame comprising alongitudinally-arranged vertical seat-frame, a transverse truss at eachend of said seat-frame, consisting of a strut projecting downwardly fromsaid seatframe, a bracket at each end, a tension member secured to saidbrackets and bearing on said strut, and compression members secured tosaid seat-frame and to said brackets, a drive-axle journaled in bearingsformed in said brackets, of one truss, axles projecting from thebrackets of the other truss, wheels on said axles, brace-rods connectingsaid brackets with the upper portion of said seatframe, tie-rodsconnecting the said brackets, and propelling means on said frame foroperating said drive-axle.

3. In a railway-velocipede, the combination of a longitudinally-arrangedvertical seatframe, a transverse truss at each end of said seat-frame, adrive-axle journaled in bearings carried by one of said trusses, an axleconstituting one member of the other truss, wheels on said axles, andpropelling means.

4f. In a railroad-velocipede, the combination with the seat-frame, arocking lever pivoted thereon, a crank-shaft, a connection from thelower end of the rocking lever to said crank-shaft, a drive-axle, gearconnection from the crank-shaft to the driveaxle, links pivoted to theseat-frame at one side of the rocking lever, connections from the lowerend of the links to the rocking lever, a footbar at the lower end of thelinks, a second pair of links at the opposite side of the rocking lever,connections between the two sets of links, and a foot-bar upon thesecond pair of links.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J AMES DONOVAN.

\Vitnesses:

S. HORACE RoBERTs, JAMES B. ROBERTS.

IOO

